Belltown House at Airline Trail

A restored 1870 home above Pocotopaug Creek, two minutes` walk from the Air Line Trail and the middle of Belltown, USA.

Two bedrooms, one bathroom, sleeps [X]. A kitchen worth cooking in, and a 32-foot deck looking out over the water and the woods.

THE STORY OF THIS HOUSE

This house was built in 1870. Three years later, the Air Line Railroad laid its track past the door — the straight shot between New York and Boston, named for advertising that promised a route `as if a line had been drawn through the air.`

In 1891 that line carried something remarkable. The New England Limited ran with Pullman cars painted white and trimmed in gold, a crew in white uniforms, and mahogany, velvet and gaslight inside. People called it the Ghost Train. It left Boston and New York simultaneously at three o`clock every afternoon, and between the two cities it stopped exactly once — in Middletown, fifteen minutes from here. President Benjamin Harrison rode it. It ran four years and then it was gone, because keeping white railcars clean cost more than the service was worth.

The track is a walking and cycling trail now. It still crosses our street on the same stone abutments the railroad laid in 1873.

The creek below the deck is Pocotopaug Creek, which flows out of Lake Pocotopaug and drops through the village. For two centuries it was dammed to power the bell factories that gave East Hampton its nickname. One of those factories is still running, next door — Bevin Bells, family-owned since 1832, the last bell manufacturer in America, and the people who made the bell in It`s a Wonderful Life.

All of it is within about two hundred feet of the front step.

THE SPACE

929 square feet across two floors, renovated top to bottom.

The main floor runs open — kitchen into dining into living room — so a small group stays together without crowding. Wide-plank wood floors throughout, an exposed beam overhead, and white subway tile run to the ceiling in the kitchen. The dining table sits in a bay window. The living room has a deep sectional, a large TV with a soundbar, a shelf of board games, and a slider straight out to the deck.

SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS

Both bedrooms are on the second floor, under sloped ceilings.

Bedroom 1 (Primary) — [Queen] bed, upholstered headboard, reading chair, dresser
Bedroom 2 — Two twin beds in wooden sleigh frames
Living room — [Sectional sleeper — confirm]
Two small bonus rooms open off the upstairs hall: one set up as a children`s nook with a chalkboard easel and books, the other as a quiet place to work
Sleeps [X]

THE BATHROOM

One full bathroom, on the main floor, with a tub and shower behind glass, a floating vanity, and matte black fixtures. Worth planning around if you`re travelling as a larger group.

THE KITCHEN

Marble countertops, white shaker cabinetry, and a substantial reclaimed-wood island with seating for four. Full-size range, over-range microwave, dishwasher, and French-door refrigerator. Cookware, bakeware, knives, a spice rack, and a Keurig — stocked so you can genuinely cook rather than reheat.

THE DECK AND THE CREEK

Nearly 32 feet long, running the full width of the house and raised level with the tree canopy above Pocotopaug Creek. A bistro table, two loungers, and a grill. In summer you are surrounded by green with the water moving below. In autumn the whole ravine turns.

[Creek access details — confirm]

WHAT`S PROVIDED

High-speed WiFi
In-unit stacked washer and dryer, detergent provided
Fresh linens and towels
Soaps, paper goods, and cleaning supplies
Fully equipped kitchen with coffee, tea, and basic pantry staples
Board games, books, and a tic-tac-toe set
Outdoor grill
Off-street parking for [X] vehicles
[Heating and cooling — confirm system]

WALKING DISTANCE

2 minutes — Air Line State Park Trail trailhead
2 minutes — ECO Coffee House, Belltown Bakery, Mateo`s Taco & Cantina, Pizza on Main
3 minutes — Po`s Rice and Spice, the best-reviewed restaurant in the village
3 minutes — Joseph N. Goff House Museum
10 minutes — Two Brothers Cafe for breakfast, The Town Tavern for dinner
12 minutes — Stop & Shop and D`eliana Market & Deli

A SHORT DRIVE

5 minutes — Sears Park on Lake Pocotopaug: public swimming, pavilion, tennis, volleyball, playground
5 minutes — Lakeside Bar & Grill, with lake views and an outdoor bar
6 minutes — Rule of 3 Brewing
10 minutes — Comstock Covered Bridge, the last covered bridge in eastern Connecticut
12 minutes — Hurd State Park, hiking and mountain biking above the Connecticut River
15 minutes — Middletown and Wesleyan University
20 minutes — Goodspeed Opera House
30 minutes — Hartford, Gillette Castle State Park, Devil`s Hopyard State Park
45 minutes — Hammonasset Beach and Bradley International Airport

East Hampton sits roughly halfway between New York City and Boston.

THE TRAIL

The Air Line State Park Trail runs more than fifty miles across eastern Connecticut on the old railbed, and the trailhead is at the end of our street. It is crushed stone, flat, and shaded — good for walking, running, cycling, or riding, and dogs are welcome on leash.

Heading east you pass through a rock cut and reach the Cranberry Bog at Smith Street in about seven-tenths of a mile, where there is a map board and picnic tables. Two miles out you reach the Rapallo Viaduct, a railroad bridge built in 1873 that once carried trains sixty feet above Flat Brook.

WORTH KNOWING BEFORE YOU BOOK

We would rather tell you than have you discover it.

Watrous Street is East Hampton`s old mill street. The front of the house faces a shared paved lot, and Bevin Bells operates next door on weekdays from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM — you may hear light industrial activity during those hours. Evenings and weekends are quiet. This is a real working New England town, not a manicured village green.

Behind the house it is the opposite entirely: the deck, the creek, and the trees.

Two other things worth flagging. Both bedrooms are upstairs, reached by the home`s original staircase, with sloped ceilings above — please let us know in advance if anyone in your party has mobility needs. And the ground behind the house slopes steeply toward the creek, which is not supervised and not intended for swimming. Children and pets must be supervised outdoors.

If you want manicured, this is not it. If you want a beautiful house in a town with genuine history, where you can walk to breakfast and step onto a rail trail without touching the car, we think you will be very happy here.

HOUSE RULES

Check-in 3:00 PM, check-out 11:00 AM
Primary guest must be 21 or older
Maximum occupancy 7, including day visitors
No smoking anywhere on the property, indoors or out
Small gatherings are welcome; large parties and events are not permitted
Quiet hours 10:00 PM to 8:00 AM

Please remove muddy shoes and store bicycles outside
House Rules — Belltown House at Airline Trail

Check-in: 3:00 PM | Check-out: 11:00 AM
Primary guest must be 21 years of age or older
Maximum occupancy is 7 guests and must be observed at all times, including day visitors
This home has one bathroom. Please plan accordingly if traveling with a larger group
Children must be supervised outdoors at all times. The property borders Pocotopaug Creek and the ground slopes steeply toward the water
Both bedrooms are on the second floor via a staircase with sloped ceilings above — please take care, and let us know in advance if anyone in your party has mobility needs
Pets are welcome — please keep pets leashed whenever outdoors and clean up after them
Small gatherings are permitted — large parties and events are not allowed
No smoking anywhere on the property, indoors or out — this is a historic wood-frame home built in 1870
Please treat the home and its furnishings with care
Quiet hours: 10:00 PM – 8:00 AM
Parking is in the lot at the front of the property — please park only in the designated spaces and do not block the neighboring business or the trail parking
Please remove muddy shoes and store bicycles outside — the Air Line Trail is right here and we`d like to keep the floors nice
Please leave the space reasonably tidy upon departure
A cleaning fee of $175 is applied per stay

--Safety Notes --
Please read before you arrive.

Water on the property. Pocotopaug Creek runs below the rear of the property and the bank slopes steeply. The creek is not supervised, is not intended for swimming, and water levels rise quickly after heavy rain. Children and pets must be supervised outdoors at all times.

Stairs. Both bedrooms are on the second floor. The staircase is original to the 1870 house and the upstairs ceilings are sloped.

Our neighbor. Bevin Bells, a working bell manufacturer, operates next door on weekdays from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM. You may hear light industrial activity during those hours. Evenings and weekends are quiet.

Deck. The rear deck is elevated. Please supervise children and do not sit or lean on the railings.

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are installed.